Liverpool are now reportedly rivalling Newcastle United in the race to sign a young midfield star who’s been compared to Dominik Szoboszlai.

Slot: Liverpool don't have "Jacob Murphy profile" to unlock Isak

It’s been a tumultuous time for Liverpool and record signing Alexander Isak. The Reds are yet to unlock the Swede’s best form, despite splashing out £125m to break a British record and welcome their next star man from Newcastle in the summer.

Arne Slot, however, is remaining patient and recently pinpointed exactly why Isak is yet to replicate his Newcastle form at Anfield. The Dutchman told reporters: “With Jeremie Frimpong being injured and Conor Bradley being out it is not like we have so many options on the right-hand side, and it is a bit similar on the left.

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“Alex could benefit maybe from a Conor or a Jeremie type of player who goes outside, instead of both wingers we have who come inside and full-backs who can come in with crosses.

“But the main difference for him is that we are facing a low block many times. It is not that it never happened at Newcastle but not as much, I think. This season the league has changed, we see so many more low blocks than last season.

“But I see this not only against us, I see this in many games. It makes it harder for him compared to his time at Newcastle but I think it is also him adjusting to his teammates and his teammates adjusting to him. But it is obvious and clear that we have not the profile of [Newcastle’s] Jacob Murphy, for example, available at this moment at this time.”

Whether Liverpool find their own version of Murphy in the January transfer window is now the big question. They’ve already been linked with Antoine Semenyo, who’d certainly offer the same quality, but he may not be the only one on his way.

Liverpool join race to sign Alex Toth

As reported by Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Alex Toth from Ferencvaros in 2026. The 20-year-old midfielder has been watched closely by scouts across the Premier League, including both those at Anfield and at St James’ Park and now seems destined for a big move.

Dubbed an “aggressive presser” by Hungarian journalist Bence Bocsak, it’s clear to see where the Szoboszlai comparisons have come from.

Liverpool’s press is certainly something that needs addressing in midfield too, which makes Toth a viable option when 2026 arrives. The Reds have got one over on Newcastle before and could yet do so yet again next year.

Not Isak: £45m star is now Liverpool's most frustrating player since Nunez

Spinner’s promotion was announced at Abu Dhabi training camp prior to World Cup

S Sudarshanan06-Oct-2025Charlie Dean hopes to be her own “sarcastic and jovial” self after her ascendancy as England’s vice-captain at the Women’s World Cup 2025. England head coach, Charlotte Edwards, announced her as Nat Sciver-Brunt’s deputy during their camp in Abu Dhabi.”Having had a bit more captaincy experience this summer and I think [England are] trying to create a leadership group that is a bit more official and structured to really help complement Nat going into this World Cup,” Dean said in Guwahati ahead of England’s game against Bangladesh.”Obviously we don’t want Nat off the pitch, but if that were to happen then I guess I’m ready to step up, with a bit of help from Tammy [Beaumont] and Jonesie [Amy Jones] and Dunks [Sophia Dunkley] as well, who are all exceptional leaders in their own right. But we’ve got a lot of characters and leaders in this team. Heather [Knight] has been brilliant. She’s come back from injury, I guess tapping into her knowledge when we can and really learning as a group.”Related

• Marufa Akter swings her way straight into World Cup lore

• Nahida Akter's journey comes full circle at the Women's World Cup

• Spin-heavy Bangladesh look to challenge England in rare meeting

Dean made her international debut only in 2021 but captained London Spirit in the women’s Hundred earlier this year and was discussed as a potential successor to Knight. She is often seen discussing her bowling grip, areas to bowl and the shots batters could deploy against her after almost every delivery at the nets, bringing her thinking to the fore. Even during England’s home summer, she was often seen adjusting the angles of the fielders. Dean said her role as Sciver-Brunt’s deputy is mainly “being a bit of a sounding board”.”She’s got a brilliant cricket brain and she leads from the front with how she acts,” Dean said. “I guess for me it is about being there to complement and look after bits she hopefully shouldn’t need to, [like] getting the fielders in the right place and bits like that. [It is] trying to make sure that she has everything she needs to be really clear and be the best version of herself for us… just being there as an option more than anything.”I’m probably someone who’s not going to come forward with 10 million different ideas, but I guess [my role is] thinking about the game and having a bit of a cricket brain and trying to shout out when I feel like I see something that could really help.”England had a change of leadership after the Women’s Ashes at the start of the year. Edwards replaced Jon Lewis while Sciver-Brunt took over after Knight’s nine-year-helm. Their first series under new leadership was at home against West Indies, winning 6-0 across formats, before defeat to India again at home.”Having Nat and Lottie [Edwards] feels like a bit of a fresh start for us all,” Dean said. “The players in the team might not have changed. But the things that we’re looking to do and being really specific about how we go about our ODI cricket, that attention to detail [have changed] and we want to show our grit and determination. That comes from Nat in the way in which she goes about her cricket.”You watch her bat and she’s someone that really puts her hand up and has those big innings for the team. Just from the way she behaves that filters down. Lottie’s the coach who reads the game really well, and it seems really simple when she talks it through. We all know that cricket can be quite complicated. So, I guess breaking things down, keeping it really simple, and going into specifics has really helped us.”.Dean first grabbed headlines in India for being run-out backing up by Deepti Sharma in the Lord’s ODI in 2022. But since then she has grown leaps and bounds. She also played the WPL earlier this year for the Smriti Mandhana-led RCB. Never one to shy away from having a laugh, Dean hopes to not change with this additional responsibility.”As a person, I don’t really change, no matter what role I have,” she said. “I’m a bit sarcastic and jovial, but I really think about the game beyond that.”

Marufa dealing with ‘hype’ as Bangladesh eye statement

Marufa Akter impressed against Pakistan•ICC/Getty ImagesBangladesh will aim to use Tuesday’s match against England as a means to “show our capabilities”, according to Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana. The encounter will be only the second time the teams have met in women’s ODIs.”This is the stage where we show our capabilities so that teams like England and Australia show interest in playing against us,” Nigar said.They are also hopeful that 20-year-old fast bowler Marufa Akter can continue her eye-catching start to the tournament.”We’ve had some good pacers before, but the kind of exposure Marufa has received, nobody else has had that,” Nigar said. “It’s very important for her to stay focused on the World Cup right now. Whatever is happening around her shouldn’t affect her performance. She should concentrate on herself – how to prepare for the upcoming games and how best she can perform for the team.”Marufa began the World Cup with a double-wicket blow in her opening over that softened up Pakistan in Colombo. She got the ball to hoop around at good pace, Omaima Sohail and Sidra Amin undone by the inswing.”She’s very young, and that’s why we always try to keep her game plan simple. We never put her under pressure,” Nigar said. “Whether she succeeds or faces setbacks, we never burden her. We always try to keep her mindset calm. We picked her at a very young age, and everyone knows she’ll face struggles; that’s natural. From that perspective, she’s extremely hardworking, and her hard work is starting to show results gradually.”Being such a young player, nurturing her properly is very important. There was a lot of hype after the first match, and even during the T20 World Cup before that, but what I’ve seen over time is that she doesn’t let it get to her. She enjoys the game, embraces that youthful energy within her, and the entire team fully backs her.”

Premier League leaders Arsenal will travel to Championship side Portsmouth in round three of the FA Cup, while holders Crystal Palace head to non-league outfit Macclesfield. English giants Manchester City and Liverpool host League One teams Exeter and Barnsley respectively and Manchester United take on Brighton in an all-Premier League affair.

FA Cup third round ball numbers

Before the draw was made on Monday evening, FA Cup holders Crystal Palace were given the number 13 ball, while Premier League leaders Arsenal were 2 and 2024 winners Manchester United were 23. National League South side Weston-super-Mare (49) are into the third round for the first time in their entire 138-year history, while Macclesfield (45) and Boreham Wood (51) are the other two non-league teams to reach the third round of the competition. Finally, Brackley Town (58) can join them as they host Burton Albion in the final second round tie on Monday night.

1. AFC Bournemouth

2. Arsenal

3. Aston Villa

4. Birmingham City

5. Blackburn Rovers

6. Brentford

7. Brighton & Hove Albion

8. Bristol City

9. Burnley

10. Charlton Athletic

11. Chelsea

12. Coventry City

13. Crystal Palace

14. Derby County

15. Everton

16. Fulham

17. Hull City

18. Ipswich Town

19. Leeds United

20. Leicester City

21. Liverpool

22. Manchester City

23. Manchester United

24. Middlesbrough

25. Millwall

26. Newcastle United

27. Norwich City

28. Nottingham Forest

29. Oxford United

30. Portsmouth

31. Preston North End

32. Queens Park Rangers

33. Sheffield United

34. Sheffield Wednesday

35. Southampton

36. Stoke City

37. Sunderland

38. Swansea City

39. Tottenham Hotspur

40. Watford

41. West Bromwich Albion

42. West Ham United

43. Wolverhampton Wanderers

44. Wrexham

45. Macclesfield

46. Grimsby Town

47. Shrewsbury Town

48. Swindon Town

49. Weston Super Mare

50. Barnsley

51. Boreham Wood

52. Milton Keynes Dons

53. Wigan Athletic

54. Fleetwood Town

55. Salford City

56. Mansfield Town

57. Cambridge United

58. Brackley Town or Burton Albion

59. Blackpool

60. Walsall

61. Exeter City

62. Cheltenham Town

63. Doncaster Rovers

64. Port Vale

AdvertisementAFPFA Cup third round draw in full

In the draw, there are four all Premier League ties, with Tottenham hosting Aston Villa, Everton entertaining Sunderland, Bournemouth travelling to Newcastle United and Brighton making the trip to Old Trafford. As mentioned above, former Premier League stalwart Portsmouth get to host Arsenal, a side they played many times earlier this century. Elsewhere, there could be a non-league battle if Brackley beat League One Burton, with the winner facing National League outfit Boreham Wood. 

The draw is as follows, with the Premier League teams in bold.

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town

Doncaster Rovers v Southampton

Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa

Port Vale v Fleetwood Town

Preston North End v Wigan Athletic

Ipswich Town v Blackpool

Wrexham v Nottingham Forest

Charlton Athletic v Chelsea

Manchester City v Exeter City

West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers

Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford

Fulham v Middlesbrough

Everton v Sunderland

Liverpool v Barnsley

Burnley v Millwall

Norwich City v Walsall

Portsmouth v Arsenal

Derby County v Leeds United

Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion

Salford City v Swindon Town

Boreham Wood v Brackley Town or Burton Albion

Grimsby Town v Weston-super-Mare

Hull City v Blackburn Rovers

Newcastle United v Bournemouth

MK Dons v Oxford United

Cheltenham Town v Leicester City

Cambridge United v Birmingham City

Bristol City v Watford

Stoke City v Coventry City

Macclesfield v Crystal Palace

Manchester United v Brighton

Sheffield United v Mansfield Town

Pundits react to FA Cup draw

Former England team-mates Joe Cole and Peter Crouch did the honours at the third round draw, and now both have given their take on what lies ahead.

The former winger Cole said on TNT Sports: "Charlton v Chelsea is a good draw. For clubs like Chelsea and all the top clubs, you want a home draw, you don't want to be travelling too far in January. It's a derby, it's great for Charlton, a good London derby."

And ex-striker Crouch added: "Newcastle v Bournemouth will be a good one. Liverpool as well, I played in one against Barnsley and I think they knocked us out. We played Havant & Waterlooville and then we lost to Barnsley at Anfield."

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Getty ImagesWhen will the third round FA Cup ties take place?

The third round fixtures are scheduled to be held between January 9-12, 2026, adding to English teams' busy schedules over the festive period and the new year. 

Incidentally, Ally McCoist added: "Tottenham against Aston Villa is a brilliant tie, that is the one that stands out more than anything. Charlton v Chelsea a London derby, but there are some great ties. Everton v Sunderland's a big one, Sunderland going well and so are Everton."

It would be fair to say that the last week or so hasn’t been ideal for Arsenal.

Yes, Mikel Arteta’s side are still top of the Premier League, but a draw away to Chelsea and then a defeat at the hands of Aston Villa have diminished their lead to just two points.

Moreover, while they certainly weren’t terrible against the Villans, they failed to make the most of their chances.

One player who has received quite a bit of criticism from the fan base in the aftermath is Martin Odegaard, and if reports are to be believed, the club could be looking to bring someone in who could be bad news for his place in the team.

Arsenal target Odegaard upgrade

With the transfer window now less than a month away from reopening, Arsenal have a chance to reinforce their squad, and the good news is that they’ve already been linked with a host of brilliant players.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has once again been touted for a £70m move to the Emirates, as has Nottingham Forest’s £79m Murillo.

However, while both Brazilians would undoubtedly have an impact on Arteta’s side, neither one could be described as a potential rival, upgrade or replacement for Odegaard, unlike Kenan Yıldız.

Yes, according to recent reports from Italy, Arsenal have reignited their interest in the Turkish wonderkid.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Gunners have once more made contact to find out what would be needed to make this deal happen.

However, while a potential price is not mentioned in the story, other reports from last month claim that a fee of around £88m could be enough to tempt Juventus into selling.

It would therefore be a costly and potentially complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Yıldız’s ability and potential, Arsenal should fight for him, especially as he could provide real competition for Odegaard, if not outright replace him.

How Yıldız compares to Odegaard

So, the first thing to point out is that while Yıldız is primarily viewed as a winger, he could easily become more of a ten over time.

After all, while he has spent plenty of time out wide, his most-played position is second striker, and given his third-most-played position is attacking midfield, the idea of him dropping a little deeper does not feel far-fetched.

Moreover, the youngster already possesses one of the key characteristics of the best tens: the ability to both score and assist goals with relative ease. There is a reason European football writer Danny Corcoran has suggested the youngster has “Mbappe-like ability.”

For example, in 52 appearances last season, totalling 3520 minutes, he scored 12 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 2.47 games, or every 167.61 minutes.

He has somehow become even more dangerous this season, scoring six goals and providing five assists in 19 appearances, totalling 1533 minutes, which is a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 139.36 minutes.

Appearances

52

45

Minutes

3520′

3447′

Goals

12

6

Assists

9

12

Appearances

18

11

Minutes

1457′

516′

Goals

5

0

Assists

5

2

For comparison’s sake, Odegaard scored six goals and provided 12 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3447 minutes, last season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes.

This season, in the period he has been available, the Norwegian international has provided two assists in 11 appearances, totalling 516 minutes, which is an average of one every 5.5 games, or every 258 minutes.

With it clear that the Turkish gem is more of an attacking threat than the Gunners’ captain, what else makes him a player that Andrea Berta and Co cannot miss out on?

Well, as his output would suggest, he is, in the words of content creator Alex Moneypenny, someone “capable of the spectacular.”

Whether that’s a goal from distance, a mazy run that ends in a chance or just some tidy footwork that gets his team on their way, the Regensburg-born talent is an attacker who can seemingly do it all.

This is unsurprisingly reflected in his underlying numbers as well.

Goal-Creating Actions

1.22

Top 6%

Shot-Creating Actions

6.10

Top 8%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.46

Top 9%

Carries into Penalty Area

3.41

Top 11%

Shots on Target

1.46

Top 12%

Successful Take-Ons

3.17

Top 12%

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Champions League for goal-creating actions, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for expected assisted goals, the top 11% for carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it would be an expensive transfer to get over the line, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Yıldız, as he’s got the ability and potential to replace Odegaard and become a world-class ten.

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Crystal Palace are now weighing up a January move for a goal-scoring midfielder, who enjoyed a very impressive 2025 campaign.

Palace join race for new midfielder

Palace have fared very well recruiting young players in recent years, with Adam Wharton one of the best examples, most recently assisting Eddie Nketiah’s opening goal in the 2-1 victory against Fulham, which helped send Oliver Glasner’s side up to fourth in the Premier League table.

However, the Eagles seem to be in a constant battle to retain the services of their star players, with Eberechi Eze joining Arsenal in the summer, while Marc Guehi remains of interest to the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid.

Wharton is also attracting interest from some of the world’s biggest clubs, with Manchester United and Liverpool being named as potential suitors, which means Glasner may have to start thinking about bringing in a long-term replacement before too long.

According to a report from Football Insider, Crystal Palace have now set their sights on a new target, with it being revealed they are weighing up a January move for UCD midfielder Adam Brennan, who has enjoyed a fantastic 2025 campaign.

Indeed, Brennan has amassed 13 goal contributions for the League of Ireland First Division side this term, registering nine goals and four assists in 28 outings, meaning a whole host of English clubs are now lining up to secure his signature.

Hull City invited the 18-year-old on trial last month, but the Tigers have now been joined by Birmingham City, Wrexham and the Eagles in the battle for his services.

Brennan could be one for the future

Despite competing in the second-highest division of Irish football, it is still impressive that the teenager managed to find the back of the net so regularly at such a young age during the 2025 campaign, showcasing that he could be a future star.

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That said, with the Irishman yet to prove himself in the top tier, it could be a while before he is ready to test himself in the Premier League, and Palace should look to hold on to Wharton for as long as possible.

The former Blackburn Rovers man remains under contract until 2029, which means the Eagles should be in a strong negotiating position, and if they manage to keep the core of their squad together, they could make a real success of the current season.

Palace currently find themselves in the Champions League places, and managing to qualify for Europe again could convince Glasner to stay, amid previous interest from the likes of Man United and Tottenham Hotspur.

With the Austrian’s contract up in the summer, Palace retaining their top players could be the best course of action when it comes to keeping hold of their manager, but Brennan could also be a shrewd long-term addition to the squad.

Both Kohli and Gaikwad accessed similar areas in the field to help India score risk-free runs in the middle overs

Alagappan Muthu03-Dec-20254:31

Gaikwad: I decided I’d try to be consistent in any game this year

At the halfway stage, on a pitch that wasn’t completely straightforward to bat on, Virat Kohli was 51 not out. Considering he was playing two games in one that was pretty good going.As soon as the coin fell against them, India had to play both the ball in front of them – which in the first innings was holding up on the surface – and the ball that lay in wait – when dew in the second innings would make run-scoring a much more appealing occupation.A one in a million event – losing 20 tosses in a row – set the stage for a one in a million player. Kohli made his 53rd ODI century. South Africa haven’t been able to keep up with him. But someone else was.Related

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At the halfway stage, on a pitch that wasn’t completely straightforward to bat on, Ruturaj Gaikwad was 51 not out as well. When the ODI squad for this South Africa series was announced, it seemed like he would be more of a bench player. The back-up if one of the openers got injured. Except, on training day in Ranchi, he batted with Kohli. Shadowed him, almost. On match day, it became clear that India saw him in a different role. Eighty-one of his 88 List A innings may have come at the top of the order but here this team saw him as a No. 4. Or maybe, somewhere way out in the future, a No. 3.It is only one innings – played in Shreyas Iyer’s absence who will very likely get his spot back once he recovers from his injury – but right the way through, it mirrored one of the greatest of all time. Gaikwad being in such good sync with Kohli actually became vital to his health because there were a couple of blistering on drives that came straight at him and would’ve taken him out if he were even a step off.Virat Kohli gives Ruturaj Gaikwad a pat on the back after the latter tonned up•AFP/Getty ImagesThe two of them accessed similar areas in the field to further the same agenda. India needed regular, risk-free runs through the middle overs so that the wickets they ended up saving could help them launch at the back end (which they did, scoring 200 runs in 25 overs). Kohli directed it all. When the two of them got together in between overs, he kept pointing to the field in front of the wicket and gesturing “tap and run”.”Well, obviously a dream to bat with him and, you know, have a wonderful partnership,” Gaikwad told the broadcaster in between innings. “He helped me a lot throughout [our time in] the middle about how to access gaps, what lengths the bowler might be bowling and how you can adjust your technique and score some runs by taking less dot balls. So definitely very helpful and good learning for me.”Gaikwad followed suit so well that when they brought up their fifties, their underlying stats were almost identical: 24 singles and three twos for the master vs 23 singles and three twos for the protégé accessing areas in front of the wicket because the pitch was two-paced and searching for runs behind square was too risky.”I think we kept thinking about five-five overs,” Gaikwad said about how they broke their 195-run partnership. “We had set small targets and we just thought that five overs we have to achieve this, five overs we have to achieve this. Once we felt that we were really comfortable in the middle and there came a phase where the ball wasn’t doing much and it was coming really nicely onto the bat. And I just said that I’ll back my instincts, whatever it is, and let’s see how it goes on.”Gaikwad went from fifty to hundred in 25 balls. His boundary count nearly tripled, from five to 14. The moment came after a tiny bit of teasing. Deep midwicket tracked a pull shot placed past mid-on. Sixty-thousand people went “oooohhh” as the ball skipped across the outfield. Gaikwad himself couldn’t take his eyes off the ball even though he was in the middle of running between the wickets. When it hit the rope, all that tension melted away. The crowd went up in a roar. So did Gaikwad. Kohli stood back, letting his junior enjoy his moment, and when he was ready, the two of them embraced.All round the country – when Kohli landed in Mumbai, when he trained in Ranchi, when he batted in Raipur – people have been begging him for some attention. It was kinda funny that the one time he was instigating the PDA, he ended up having to wait. A first ODI hundred is always special but one made in the company of the king, matching him shot for shot, must feel even better. Unfortunately for him, this one suffered the same fate as his other international century, with the opposition pulling off a record chase.

South Africa won their first toss in India in eight attempts but Bumrah put it out of the equation with a five-for

Sidharth Monga14-Nov-20253:22

How is Bumrah still unplayable on a dry surface?

It was pitches in 2015-16, it was the tosses in 2019-20, but India took the pitch and the toss out of the equation in dismissing South Africa for 159 on the first day of the 2025-26 series. The visitors won the toss on a decent batting surface at Eden Gardens, raced away to 57 for 0 in 10 overs, but then became victims of Jasprit Bumrah’s 16th five-wicket haul and excellent support work from Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj. India, with a new No. 3 in Washington Sundar, were 37 for 1 in 20 overs possible before stumps.Guilty of playing too little bowling in the past, India went in with six of them as Washington moved to No. 3, making room for Axar Patel in the XI. For a while, as Siraj struggled for rhythm and Axar was taken down, it seemed India would need all the bowling they could muster.However, Bumrah had been excellent at the other end. Out of those 57, he had conceded only nine runs in five overs. He pushed himself for two more overs in that first spell, and produced two near unplayable deliveries. He went round the wicket to swing one in to Ryan Rickelton and then nip it away a touch to take the off stump. In his next over, he got Aiden Markram with one that kicked off a length. Bumrah ended his spell with figures of 7-4-9-2 out of a score of 62 for 2.Related

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It might not have been an unplayable pitch, but it had enough to keep bowlers interested. Kuldeep found that with some quick turn in his first spell. Accordingly, he and Shubman Gill went for a backward short leg as opposed to one in front of square. In no time he had Temba Bavuma edging one there for a sharp catch for Dhruv Jurel, who handed over the big gloves to the returning Rishabh Pant but retained his spot in the XI on the back of a century against West Indies and two against South Africa A.Tony de Zorzi and Wiaan Mulder somehow saw South Africa through to lunch, but immediately after they had to face the double trouble of Bumrah and Kuldeep. In just six overs, both had been sent back for an addition of just 15. Mulder, who got off the mark with a reverse-sweep off Kuldeep, fell lbw on the same shot for 24. De Zorzi got a similar delivery to the one that Rickelton did, but this one nipped in and beat him on the inside edge.The ball had just started to reverse for Bumrah, and Siraj took over to continue the nightmare for South Africa. Kyle Verrreynne’s big back lift was always an invitation for Siraj, who eventually hit him pad first right in front. In the same over, he hit the top of off of Marco Jansen.Axar Patel, 3-0-20-0 in his first spell, now returned to find some turn. With his long arms and low release creating an extreme angle, Axar becomes dangerous once he gets one to turn. He now had Corbin Bosch playing for the non-existent turn and had him lbw with what proved to be the last ball before tea.Jasprit Bumrah is congratulated by his team-mates after completing his five-for•Getty Images

Tristan Stubbs, the specialist batter, didn’t farm strike and left the two spinners Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj at the mercy of Bumrah, who had them both in one over to go level with BS Chandrasekhar on five-fors and into India’s top five. It consigned South Africa to their second-lowest score against India in the first innings of a match.Batting wasn’t quite straightforward for India either, which is where South Africa dearly missed Kagiso Rabada, who was out with a rib injury. In fading east Indian light, Jansen was on the money but couldn’t quite find the length with which he could threaten the stumps. He still got the wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal on the cut.KL Rahul and Washington had to be watchful with little to gain really. In the brief period of spin possible, Maharaj came close to bowling Rahul, and Harmer showed he was a much-improved bowler from the one that toured India in 2015-16. That Bumrah five-for began to look even more important with a few puffs of dust towards the end of the day.

At the same time, he is mindful of the “balance between attracting retired Indian players and keeping the league competitive”

Vishal Dikshit13-Nov-2025SA20 commissioner Graeme Smith “would love to have more Indian players” in their T20 league and it’s something they will continue to work on with the BCCI. So far, former India batter Dinesh Karthik is the only Indian to have played in the SA20, having turned out for Paarl Royals in the last season.The BCCI’s current policy is such that no player active in Indian cricket – international, domestic or the IPL – can participate in overseas T20 leagues, which is why Karthik participated in the SA20 only after his retirement from Indian cricket. The league has a strong Indian connect as well, with all six teams owned by IPL team owners.”Firstly, we would love to have more Indian players [in SA20],” Smith said in Mumbai on Wednesday. “I think whenever India play in South Africa, you can see the love for the Indian team. The talent is incredible. I think we will continue to work with the BCCI on these things. And I think if that ever changes with the six IPL franchises, I think we’re perfectly suited to be able to attract Indian players. Those type of contracts with Dinesh signing with Paarl Royals is always a direct deal between the franchise [and the player]. And I think, obviously, with retired players and more retired players coming, it’s a balance between attracting that retired Indian player but still keeping your league competitive. And our franchises really want to win, as you’ve experienced in IPL and in SA20. So they’re always looking for the best players who can perform consistently.”The fourth season of SA20 will go on for a month from December 26, 2025 to January 25, 2026 across six cities. Even though South Africa mostly play the traditional Boxing Day Test from December 26 in their home season, this time that day will mark the start of their marquee T20 league. Last year, they had hosted Pakistan at the time, which saw a thrilling game that South Africa clinched by two wickets to seal their WTC final spot. In 2023, India had played the Boxing Day Test – also in Centurion – which the hosts won a lot more convincingly, by an innings and 32 runs. Barring in 2022, 2012, 2008, 2005 and 2001, South Africa have played the Boxing Day Test at home regularly since the start of this century, and before that too.This time, South Africa will be in India for an all-format tour that begins with two Tests from November 14 and will culminate with the last of the five T20Is on December 19, with only a week’s gap for the SA20 to begin. As Smith pointed out, there was no Boxing Day Test agreed upon in the FTP for this year by Cricket South Africa.Dinesh Karthik became the first Indian player to appear in the SA20•SA20″Yeah, it’s actually always been the case, though, in this cycle, that Cricket South Africa never had international cricket in this window,” Smith said. “The South African team is here [in India] until 20 December. And then SA20 is now taking place there. And then there’s the T20 World Cup here in India in February. So it was a very small window. And I don’t think South African cricket ever had a tour lined up, never mind being WTC champions. I think this goes back years in terms of the FTP cycle.”Such is the crunch in the cricket calendar that only two days after SA20 ends in Cape Town, South Africa will host West Indies for a T20I series starting from January 27 in Paarl. Soon after that the T20 World Cup is set to begin on February 7 in India.Smith also lauded the recent laurels in South African cricket, especially in ICC events over the last few years. The men’s team won their first WTC, in June at Lord’s this year, and recently the women’s team made their first ODI World Cup final, finishing as the runners-up to India earlier this month. In 2024 and 2023 as well, South Africa had made the finals of the women’s T20 World Cups.Does that mean a women’s SA20 is coming soon?”In terms of women’s cricket, we’ve spent a lot of time and effort investing in grassroots with Under-19 camps and schools programmes,” Smith said. “I think Cricket South Africa is working on a domestic programme now. I think the challenge that South African cricket has is that our national women’s team is very good, but the tier below needs to be developed. So we’ll look at it probably from next season, obviously with women’s IPL and national team schedules getting busier and busier. We’ll probably look to start exhibition matches like IPL did.”CSA could take a leaf out of the BCCI’s book, who started with a Women’s T20 Challenge – like a mini women’s IPL – in 2019 with three teams. That T20 tournament was played for two more years – in 2020 and 2022 – before the BCCI launched a five-team Women’s Premier League in 2023.

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